Watch "Russian Telegram channels report a Russian aircraft crash near Mariupol. According to them, the aircraft was shot down by Russian air defense." on Streamable.
Interesting thought. Is there any indication that this or the other Su-35 shot down by friendly fire were potential defectors? The Russian army has displayed such astounding incompetence at different times throughout the war, my immediate assumption was that these were just two more, but the idea of defection seems not unlikely for much the same reason...
Possible, but how would the air defence know? I mean, know to a degree of confidence that they'd risk shooting down one of the most valuable assets? It's not like Su-35s grow on trees.
Couldn’t these pilots lie about a mechanical emergency to justify a route change, then get low and fast until they are safely inside Ukraine? What would the ideal processes be to defect with an aircraft like this that can go Mach 1+ at sea level? I’m legitimately asking, I don’t know much about military aviation.
I also wonder how they would get out of Russia and into Ukraine without being shot down by Ukraine, if they weren’t aware of what you were doing. I’d imagine the most dangerous part of the flight would be the front line areas where Ukraine and Russian air defense both would be targeting you?
It can be done by good communications with Ukraine and a prearranged landing point, as was the case with that helicopter. Even then, very dangerous for all involved.